Cons

Bottom Line

Comixology.com is a near-perfect combination of digital comic book store and reader, despite catalog holes and the fact that it doesn't let you lend comics to friends.

12 Mar 2019

Comixology, the digital comic book arm of the almighty Amazon, is a standout service that brings titles from a wide array of publishers, including DC, Image, and Marvel, to web browsers and Android and iOS mobile apps. Comixology has an excellent Guided View mode that makes reading a pleasure on small devices, digital comics that release on the same day as print editions, high-definition comic book files that render stunningly on HD displays, and an Unlimited reading plan that could potentially save you a lot of dough. Simply put, Comixology is a near-perfect combination of digital comic book store and reader.

An Intro to Digital Comics

You begin by creating a dedicated Comixology account or logging in with your existing Amazon credentials. Purchased digital comics are tied to your account, so you can access the books via your PC's web browser or one of Comixology's Android or iOS mobile apps. Comixology is free to download, but you must pay for individual issues or the $5.99 per month subscription plan (more on those options in a bit).

The reader works cross-platform, too. When I stopped reading Savage Sword of Conan #1 on Comixology.com, the Android app asked if I wanted to continue where I'd left off in the browser when I opened the same issue on my phone. Those who read on multiple devices will really appreciate this feature, as it saves you from having to flip through books to find your place.

If you have diverse reading tastes, Comixology has you covered. It features titles from a wide array of major and indie publishers, including—among many others—Antarctic Press, Archie, Boom, Dark Horse, DC, Dynamite, IDW, Image, Lion Forge, Marvel, Top Shelf, Valiant, and Weekly Shonen Jump. The company even has its own publishing label, Comixology Originals, that features creator-owned miniseries. In a smart move that recalls how Netflix releases content, these titles drop all of their issues at once. Comixology also provides a print-on-demand service for Originals books, too, just in case you want them in physical form.

Comixology's Android and iOS Apps

As mentioned, Comixology is also available for Android and iOS. The apps bring the Comixology experience to mobile devices, with a panel-by-panel Guided View format that makes reading books on small screens surprisingly enjoyable.

Both versions let you browse the Comixology store, add items to your wishlist, and read books; but the shopping and checkout experiences are the biggest differences between the Android and iOS apps. The Android version lets you make purchases from within the app, while the iOS version demands you make purchases through your smartphone's mobile browser.

From a business standpoint, I can understand why Comixology decided to go this route with the iOS app; giving Apple a cut of each purchase is a lot of lost revenue. However, as a frequent Comixology user, I find that the lack of an integrated store hinders the browse-and-buy simplicity.

Navigating Pages

Comixology's home screen contains a slider that highlights hot new releases, digital sales, and company-related announcements. Below that are sections that showcase titles exclusive to the platform, as well as themed sales (for example, Comixology slashed the price of various Captain Marvel titlesto coincide with Carol Danvers' cinematic debut). In a column on the right side of the interface are links to free books, graphic novels, Top 10 Bestsellers, and other areas of interest.

Comixology's menus give you numerous ways to browse books: By series, story arcs, ratings, publisher, genre, creators, and other criteria. You can, of course, also search for titles or artists using a built-in search function. Books are available for purchase on the same day that print issues hit brick-and-mortar stores in most cases, so you don't have to worry about waiting to read Man and Superman because you decided to go digital.

Buying Digital Comics

When you find a book that interests you, click an issue icon to see its synopsis, creator credits, pricing, rating, and sample pages you can try before buying. Building a digital comic book collection is as simple as clicking price icons to place the comics into the shopping cart, and then clicking the Purchase icon. You can also add titles to a wishlist to buy them at a later time. The potent combination of accessibility and ease of use means that comics-heads may have to show some restraint in order to not drain their wallets.

On the other hand, pricing may deter rampant spending. New digital comics are priced exactly the same as their paper-and-ink counterparts, which from a consumer's point of view is a tad ludicrous. For example, Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #1 is $3.99—the same as its physical counterpart. There are numerous freebies and 99-cent issues in Comixology's catalog, but $2.99 to $3.99 pricing appears to be the norm (collections, naturally, cost more, but you get more bang for the buck).

Unfortunately, many pre-1980s books are missing in action. The large holes in the Spitfire and the Troubleshooters series, for example, are disappointing. The rival Marvel Unlimited all-you-can-read subscription service has many books that haven't yet appeared in Comixology, so that's worth checking out if you're looking for back issues. That said, Comixology is working on digitizing many old-school comics.

In fact, Comixology sells many books from the pre-superhero era, such as Tales from the Crypt, Two-Fisted Tales, and Weird Love. So, in a way, Comixology has become an incredible comics archive, with titles spanning many eras.

Comixology Unlimited

If buying individual comics and collections isn't exactly your bag, Comixology Unlimited may prove enticing. The all-you-can-eat subscription service lets you read more than 20,000 select comics from a variety of publishers, including Archie, DC, Dark Horse, Fantagraphics, and Marvel. Comixology Unlimited is a tremendous value to US readers (it's set to roll out to other regions in the future), as the service lets you explore new titles at zero financial risk beyond the monthly service charge.

Unfortunately, Comixology Unlimited only includes a fraction of Comixology's total library. Of course, once you end your subscription, you lose access to the comics that you didn't purchase. That said, the titles you buy as a Comixology Unlimited subscriber receive at least a 10-percent discount (and the discount stacks with any other sales that Comixology has at the moment).

The company offers a 30-day free trial to Comixology Unlimited, so you can try before you subscribe. Comixology also lets you purchase curated bundles, buy gift cards for others, and subscribe to series—something that you can't do on the mobile side.

The Comixology Reading Experience

Comixology gives you several ways to read your titles. You can scroll through an issue page by page, fire up a double-page view, or use Comixology's patented Guided View technology. Activated by clicking the GV icon, Guided View simulates the flow of reading by guiding you from one panel to another when you click the on-screen navigation arrows (or tap your keyboard's left/right arrow keys).

The Fit to Width (found in the Settings option) and Zoom modes also let you control the camera for a more pleasurable viewing experience. Comixology's multiple viewing options let me enjoy my comics regardless of my device's screen size.

Comixology's Smart Lists aren't revolutionary, but they give you handy, at-a-glance information about your digital comics collection. They let you quickly track what you've been reading with the In Progress and Unread lists, show what you've bought with the Recently Purchased list, and offer a new way to maintain your Wish List.

Another addition is the Recommended for You list, which gives you personalized recommendations based on comic books you've purchased. For example, the Recommended for You list prompted me to check out issues in a series that I had yet to purchase (Superb#3), as well as books related to others I already owned (EC Archives: Crime SuspenStories #2).

DRM-Free Comics

By visiting Comixology.com, you can download comics to your PC's desktop in the DRM-free CBZ and PDF formats. This means you can read books purchased from Comixology in digital comic book apps, such as Perfect Viewer and YACReader once you transfer the files from your PC to your mobile device. Sadly, you cannot download DRM-free comics via Comixology's mobile apps.

Unfortunately, and not entirely unexpectedly, DC and Marvel haven't joined the DRM-free digital comics movement. However, Action Lab, Aspen, Blind Ferret, Caliber, Creative Impulse, Dynamite, GT Labs, IDW, Image, Kingstone, Monkeybrains, Oni, Fantagraphics, Th3d World, Thrillbent, Top Cow, Valiant, and Zenescope have kicked DRM to the curb. If you download the DRM-free comics, you can still leverage Comixology's DRM to sync books across multiple devices—it's the best of both worlds. Despite Amazon owning Comixology, you can't lend comics to others as you can with Amazon's Kindle books. I hope that changes in the near future.

Digital Comics Dominance

Comic book fans who want to buy and read their digital comics on a desktop or laptop rather than on a smartphone or tablet will love Comixology. There are back catalog gaps, but if you prefer reading Transmetropolitan without worrying about mylar bags and backing boards, Editors' Choice Comixology is an excellent way to read digital comics on a computer, smartphone, or tablet.

About the Author

For more than a decade, Jeffrey L. Wilson has penned gadget- and video game-related nerd-copy for a variety of publications, including 1UP, 2D-X, The Cask, Laptop, LifeStyler, Parenting, Sync, Wise Bread, and WWE. He now brings his knowledge and skillset to PCMag as Senior Analyst.

When he isn't staring at a monitor (or two) and churning out Web hosting, music, utilities, and video game copy, Jeffrey mentors, practices Jeet Kune Do, blogs, podcasts, and speaks at the occasional con. He also collects vinyl and greatly enjoys a craft brew.